U.S. patent number 8,920,209 [Application Number 13/451,379] was granted by the patent office on 2014-12-30 for spinning toy apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hasbro, Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Meredith Brooks, Dean Carley, Sean Carmine Isabella. Invention is credited to Meredith Brooks, Dean Carley, Sean Carmine Isabella.
United States Patent |
8,920,209 |
Brooks , et al. |
December 30, 2014 |
Spinning toy apparatus
Abstract
A toy apparatus having a lower base, an upper base and a doll
cover for the upper base where the lower base and the upper base
attach and detach with an easy twisting motion. The lower base
encloses a flywheel on a shaft, and a passageway for a rack and
includes a cover with an outside screw thread. The upper base is
either empty or encloses three switches, a sound generator, a light
source, a controller printed circuit board, and a battery chamber
and includes a cover with an inside screw thread that mates with
the screw thread of the lower base. The toy apparatus has two
primary play modes, a first mode where the lower base, the upper
base and the cover are connected and a user uses the rack to spin
the flywheel.
Inventors: |
Brooks; Meredith (Attleboro,
MA), Carley; Dean (Barrington, RI), Isabella; Sean
Carmine (Brighton, MA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Brooks; Meredith
Carley; Dean
Isabella; Sean Carmine |
Attleboro
Barrington
Brighton |
MA
RI
MA |
US
US
US |
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|
Assignee: |
Hasbro, Inc. (Pawtucket,
RI)
|
Family
ID: |
47072695 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/451,379 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2012 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20130102223 A1 |
Apr 25, 2013 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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61478521 |
Apr 24, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
446/236;
446/234 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
29/20 (20130101); A63H 1/24 (20130101); A63H
9/00 (20130101); A63H 1/04 (20130101); A63F
2009/0021 (20130101); Y10T 29/49005 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
33/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;74/89.17,422
;446/233-235,268,236,242 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
PCT/US2012/034286--International Search Report. dated Jun. 29,
2012. cited by applicant .
PCT/US2012/034286--Written Opinion of the International Searching
Authority. dated Jun. 29, 2012. cited by applicant .
PCT/US2012/034286--Notification of Transmittal of the International
Search Report and the Written Opinion of the International
Searching Authority or the Declaration. Jun. 29, 2012. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Kim; Gene
Assistant Examiner: Cegielnik; Urszula M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hoffman; Perry
Parent Case Text
PRIORITY CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from
U.S. Provisional Patent Application, No. 61/478,521 filed on Apr.
24, 2011.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toy apparatus comprising: a housing comprising, a lower base
portion, a detachable upper base portion, and a twistable
separation attachment between the upper base portion and the lower
base portion; a flywheel enclosed within the lower base portion of
the housing with the lower base portion including a passageway for
a rack to rotate the flywheel; a doll for covering the detachable
upper base portion of the housing; and said detachable upper base
including a chamber for a battery, a plurality of switches, a sound
generator and a controller wherein the toy has two play modes, a
first mode where the housing and doll spin rapidly to enable a
switch to energize the sound generator, and a second mode where the
housing and doll are handheld and another switch, manually
operable, enables the sound generator to be energized.
2. The toy apparatus of claim 1, including: an appendage connected
to the upper base bearing a light source.
3. The toy apparatus of claim 1, including: a flexible rack for
energizing the flywheel.
4. The toy apparatus of claim 1, including: a fastener for
connecting the upper and lower bases.
5. The toy apparatus of claim 4, wherein: the fastener includes an
outside screw thread and a mating inside screw thread.
6. The toy apparatus of claim 1, including: a third switch to
operate in conjunction with the second switch and located in the
upper base.
7. The toy apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first switch is
manually operated when the toy apparatus is in the first mode.
8. The toy apparatus of claim 7, wherein: the second and third
switches are actuated by rotation of the flywheel.
9. The toy apparatus of claim 8, including: an appendage connected
to the upper base for bearing a light source.
10. The toy apparatus of claim 9, including: a flexible rack for
energizing the flywheel.
11. The toy apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the flexible rack
includes a handle and an elongated flexible bar extending from the
handle, the bar having a rectangular cross section with opposing
surfaces wherein each of the opposing surfaces includes a series of
evenly spaced recessed teeth for receiving teeth of a flywheel
drive gear.
12. The toy apparatus of claim 11, including: a fastener for
connecting the upper and lower bases.
13. The toy apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the fastener includes
an outside screw thread and a mating inside screw thread.
14. A toy apparatus comprising: a lower base enclosing a flywheel
and a passageway for a rack; an upper base detachably connectible
to the lower base, the upper base enclosing a chamber for a
battery, a first switch, a second switch, a sound generator and a
controller for the sound generator; a twistable separation
attachment connecting the upper and lower bases; and a doll for
covering the upper base wherein the first switch is manually
operated and the second switch is actuated when the flywheel is
spinning wherein the toy has two play modes, a first mode where the
housing and doll spin rapidly to enable a switch to energize the
sound generator, and a second mode where the housing and doll are
handheld and another switch, manually operable, enables the sound
generator to be energized.
15. The toy apparatus of claim 14, including: an appendage
connected to the upper base bearing a light source and operatively
connected to the first and second switches and the controller.
16. The toy apparatus of claim 14, including: a fastener for
connecting the upper and lower bases.
17. The toy apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the fastener includes
an outside screw thread and a mating inside screw thread.
18. The toy apparatus of claim 14, including: a flexible rack for
energizing the flywheel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a toy apparatus, and,
more particularly, to a separable toy apparatus that enables two
modes of primary play, one mode where a flywheel in the toy
apparatus spins rapidly, and a second mode where an upper portion
of the toy apparatus is covered and may be hand held. In a
variation the toy apparatus includes sounds and lights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toys are often designed to have play value by using a rapidly
spinning flywheel to achieve a gyroscopic effect. Examples of
earlier issued patents and published application are identified
below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,098,895 for a "Toy" issued in 1914 to Edgar
purports to disclose a small figure having a flywheel located in
the middle of the figure. The figure has an extend toe, a support
point on its head and a surface on a hand, any of which are able to
support and balance the figure and have it revolve when the
flywheel is rotated at high speed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,594,649 for a
"Skipping Toy" issued in 1926 to Trautmann purports to disclose a
doll having an internal gyroscope and extended arms holding a
skipping rope. Spinning the gyroscope allows the arms of the doll
to move and the doll to travel along a surface or wire. Another
U.S. Pat. No. 2,148,374 for a "Toy" issued in 1939 to Hogan, also
purports to disclose a doll with an internal gyroscope able to
perform head-up and head-down simulating ice-skating or tightrope
walking.
A year later U.S. Pat. No. 2,195,083 for a "Toy Dancing Figure"
issued to Einfalt, and purports to disclose a toy ballet dancer
with an internally located gyroscope. The gyroscope is activated by
a toothed rack, which engages a pinion attached to the shaft of the
gyroscope. Four years later U.S. Pat. No. 2,364,117 for a
"Gyroscopic Toy" issued to Wigal, and purports to also disclose a
toy figure with an internally located gyroscope. The gyroscope is
driven and controlled by motor, such as spring type mechanical
motor or an electric motor that acts as a speed regulator. U.S.
Pat. No. 2,736,132 for a "Gyroscopic Figure Toy" issued in 1956 to
Murray purports to disclose yet another toy figure with an
internally located gyroscope. The toy figure includes points and
grooves at the head, the legs and the arms so that the figure may
be balanced on a flat surface or a string at any of the points and
grooves.
In 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,039 for a "Gyroscopic Toy" issued to
Wong, and purports to disclose a toy top with an internally
located, battery driven gyroscope. The top contains noise
generators and flashing lights controlled by a centrifugally
activated switch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,845 for a "Mobile,
Gyroscopically Stabilized Toy With Controlled Multi-Action
Movements" issued in 1998 to O'Berrigan, and purports to disclose a
toy with an internally located gyroscopic that may be battery
operated and with mechanical linkages, also battery operated, that
provide for motion of the toy and for body and appendages movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,745 for a "Gyroscopic Figurine" issued in 1999
to Johnson purports to disclose a toy figurine with an internally
located motor driven gyroscope that is slightly offset to cause the
figurine to vibrate or wobble for enhancing a skating effect on a
flat surface on which the figurine is placed.
In 2004 U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,476 for "Gyroscope Figures" issued to
Lund and Starrick, and purports to disclose a toy figures each with
an internally located gyroscope that is manually rotated by a
flexible rack gear. The figures each have predetermined apertures
that mate with posts on toy vehicles, such as a skateboard, a
mountain board, a scooter, a bicycle and a car. Once a figure is
attached to a vehicle and a user operating the flexible rack gear
energizes the gyroscope in the figure, the vehicle is balanced and
stabilized such that the vehicle may be moved in a specific
direction. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0292962 for a
"Toy Figure With Gyroscopic Element" published in 2006, and listing
Takeyasu, Strauss and Montalvo as inventors, purports to disclose a
toy figure with an internally located gyroscope that is rotated by
a pull string that rewinds automatically. U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,518
for a "Jousting Toy" issued in 2010 to Elliott purports to disclose
rotatable toy devices each having a cylindrical body, and each with
an internally located gyroscope that is rotated by a pull cord or a
string. Each device may have two curvilinear arms and two loops. In
a jousting game opposing players launch their spinning devices
toward each other and points are gained when an arm of one device
engages a loop of an opponent's device.
These Patents and Devices are of Interest, However, they do not
Disclose or illustrate the toy apparatus disclosed herein
below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an advantageous method
and apparatus are provided in the form of a toy that is formed in
two housing parts, a lower part having a rotatable flywheel, the
lower part being connectible to an upper part having a covering in
the form of a fabric pet or doll, the upper part having switches,
one or more batteries, a sound generator, a light source and a
controller of the sounds and lights. The toy apparatus may be
played with in either of two main modes, a first mode with the
upper and lower parts connected and the flywheel energized so as to
rotate the entire apparatus and actuate sounds and lights, and a
second mode with the upper part detached from the lower part where
the upper part may be hand held and a switch actuated manually to
activate sounds and lights. The two-mode arrangement is achievable
because the sound device, light source, batteries and controller
are all housed in the upper part. Having the upper and lower parts
easily detachable also allows other upper parts with different
fabric coverings to be exchanged with the lower part so as to make
the coverings collectible items. Having multiple coverings enable
the appearance of the toy apparatus to be customized by
interchanging different coverings and upper parts with a lower part
during play. Connecting the upper and lower parts is accomplished
by a simple twist motion, similar to that of connecting a lid to a
jar.
The toy is robust, simply constructed, easy to use, quick to twist
apart and ideally appropriate for young girls.
Briefly summarized, the invention relates to a toy apparatus
including a housing enclosing a flywheel and a passageway for a
rack to rotate the flywheel, a chamber for a battery, a plurality
of switches, a sound generator and a controller, and a doll for
covering a portion of the housing wherein the toy has two play
modes, a first mode where the housing and doll spin rapidly to
enable a switch to energize the sound generator, and a second mode
where the housing and doll are handheld and another switch,
manually operable, enables the sound generator to be energized. The
invention may also be described differently as a toy apparatus
including a lower base enclosing the flywheel and the passageway
for a rack, an upper base detachably connectible to the lower base,
the upper base enclosing the chamber for a battery, a first switch,
a second switch, the sound generator and the controller for the
sound generator, and the doll for covering the upper base wherein
the first switch is manually operated and the second switch is
actuated when the flywheel is spinning A more basic toy apparatus
invention may include just the lower base enclosing the flywheel
and the passageway for a rack to enable the flywheel to be
energized, the upper base detachably connectible to the lower base,
and a covering for the upper base. The rack is also novel and
includes a handle, and an elongated flexible bar, the bar having a
rectangular cross section with opposing surfaces wherein each of
the opposing surfaces includes a series of evenly spaced recessed
teeth for receiving teeth of a flywheel drive gear.
The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the toy
apparatus and includes the steps of forming the lower base having
the rotatable flywheel, the passageway for receiving the rack to
operate the flywheel and an outside screw thread, forming the upper
base having the sound generator, the battery compartment, three
switches, the controller and an inside screw thread for engaging
the outside screw thread of the lower base, forming the doll to be
placed over the upper base, and connecting the doll to the upper
base.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the invention,
the accompanying drawings and detailed description illustrate
preferred embodiments thereof, from which the invention, its
structures, its construction and operation, its processes, and many
related advantages may be readily understood and appreciated.
FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention in the form of a doll covered housing toy
apparatus having a flywheel capable of spinning.
FIG. 2 is a rear isometric view of the toy apparatus shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is an isometric exploded view of the toy apparatus shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, but without a rack.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation view of a toy
apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 3, but illustrating a
housing of slightly different shape.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan cross-sectional view taken along line
5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6A is a front isometric view of the toy apparatus illustrating
the doll covered housing about to be mounted to the rack.
FIG. 6B is a front isometric view of the toy apparatus illustrating
the doll-covered housing displayed on the rack.
FIG. 7 is a front isometric view of the rack.
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional isometric view of the rack
illustrating recessed gear teeth.
FIG. 9 is a partial isometric view of a hand with the rack looped
and worn as a bracelet.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following description is provided to enable those skilled in
the art to make and use the described embodiments set forth in the
best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Various
modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives, however,
will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and
all such modifications, variations, equivalents, and alternatives
are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
Referring now to the Figures, FIGS. 1-4, there is shown preferred
embodiments of the invention in the form of a toy apparatus 10
having a two part housing 12 including a lower base 14 enclosing a
flywheel 16 and a passageway 18 for a flexible rack 20 to rotate
the flywheel rapidly, an upper base 22 connectible to the lower
base 14 and enclosing a chamber 24 for one or more batteries, a
manually operated first switch 26, centrifugally operated second
and third switches 28, 30, FIG. 5, a sound generator 32, a light
source 34 and a printed circuit board 36 for controlling the sound
generator 32 and the light source 34. Another embodiment does not
have the switches, the sound generator, the light source, the
printed circuit board or batteries in the upper base.
Mounted to the upper base is a fabric doll 40 for covering the
upper base 22. The toy apparatus 10 has two primary play modes, a
first mode where the lower base 14, the upper base 22 and the doll
cover 40 are connected together and are able to spin. If the
switches, the sound generator, the light source, the printed
circuit board and the batteries are installed, rotation of the
flywheel 16 in the lower base 14 causes the sound generator 32 and
the light source 34 to be activated by the second and third
switches 28, 30. In a second mode where the upper base 22 and the
doll cover 40 are disconnected from the lower base 14, the sound
generator 32 and the light source 34 may be activated when a user
presses the first switch 26. In the embodiment without the
switches, the sound generator, the light source, the printed
circuit board and the batteries the doll covered upper base may be
a hand held collectible as explained below. A third mode of play is
described below.
Alternatively, the toy apparatus may only include the sound
generator and have no light source, or no sound generator and only
a light source; the housing may be formed with two halves divided
vertically and fastened together to form the toy apparatus with the
doll covering an upper portion of the housing; and the toy
apparatus may have more than two play modes. The housing may have
different shapes than those shown, for example, the housing
illustrated in FIG. 4 is generally egg-shaped and the housing
illustrated in FIG. 3 has an upper base that includes a surface
having a compound curve in section view. However, here both
versions of the upper base are designated by the same numeral "22"
for clarity.
The lower base 14 includes a generally semi-spherical plastic shell
42 within which is mounted the relatively heavy flywheel 16 on a
small diameter shaft 44. Also mounted to the shaft 44 is a small
flywheel drive gear 46 for being engaged by the flexible rack 20 to
enable a user to energize the flywheel. The shell 42 includes two
openings 50, 52 formed in the shell approximately 130.degree.
apart. The openings 50, 52 are terminals for the rack passageway 18
allowing communication with the drive gear 46. Extending from the
bottom of the shell 42 is a wide cover 54 for the shaft 44 about
which the lower base 14, the upper base 22 and the doll 40 may
rotate when placed on a flat surface or a wire. Covering the top of
the shell 42 of the lower base 14 is a disk 60 having an outside
screw thread 62 for engaging a mating inside screw thread 64 of the
upper base 22 as will be explained below. In the alternative, the
lower base may have a different shape, the drive gear may be larger
or smaller, and the drive gear may be placed beneath the flywheel,
if desired. Also, the cover 54 may be smaller or absent all
together. The terminals for the passageway may also be spread wider
than 130.degree. or less than 130.degree., where the spread may be
a function of the size and placement of the flywheel drive
gear.
The upper base 22 of the housing 12 includes a plastic shell 70
which may have an essentially empty interior. Or, the upper base
encloses the chamber 24 for one or more batteries, the first switch
26 mounted to the shell 70 so as to allow manual operation from
outside the housing 12, the sound generator 32 which is operable by
the first switch 26, and the second and third switches 28, 30
operable by centrifugal forces created by the flywheel when it is
spinning. The upper base interior also includes the controller
board 36 for controlling the sound generated and the light
displayed. The upper base 22 may also include an appendage 71, FIG.
3, having one or more light sources, for example, three LEDs 72,
74, 76 that are illustrated in the drawings. Both the sound
generator 32 and the light source 34 may be operated manually with
the first switch 26 when the upper base 22 is being held by a user,
and by the second and third switches 28, 30 when the upper base is
being rotated. The second and third switches are placed in a
generally perpendicular arrangement so that the centrifugal forces
generated when the flywheel is activated closes both switches, but
when the upper base is being held, merely shaking the upper base
might close one, but not both, of the second and third switches at
the same time.
A bottom cover 80 for the upper base 22 includes a outside lip 82
to retain the doll 40 against the upper base and the inside screw
thread 64 to mate with the outside screw thread 62 of the disk 60
of the lower base. The bottom cover 80 may also include an access
door for entry into the battery chamber 24. In the alternative, the
shape of the upper base may be any that is convenient, such as the
generally egg shape or oval shown in FIG. 4, when attached to the
lower base. The controller board electronics may also be programmed
to cause different sounds and/or lighting arrangements to emanate
from the sound generator and the light source depending on whether
the first switch is pushed by the user or whether the second and
third switches are closed when the flywheel is rotated. As
mentioned above, the switches, batteries, electronics, and sound
and light capabilities may be removed for a basic, less costly
version of the toy apparatus.
The doll covering 40 is formed of a fabric or other suitable
material that allows the doll or other covering to be slipped over
the upper base 22 and connected by the outside lip 82. The doll or
other covering may look like a pet, a child, a model or may take
any other form. The shape of the doll shown conforms to the upper
base and may have a nose portion 83, FIG. 3, which is positioned
over the first switch 26, if desired. The design features of the
doll or other coverings may take any one of numerous forms so as to
make the dolls or other coverings collectible items. For example,
the doll shown has large floppy ears 84, 86, button eyes 88, 90, an
extended tongue 92, short arms 94, 96, small feet 98, 100, colorful
wild hair 102 and poke-a-dots, such as the poke-a-dot 104. In
keeping with the doll motif a fabric tail appendage 106, FIG. 4,
matching the features of the doll may be used as a cover the three
LEDs 72, 74, 76. The cover 40 may be attached permanently, such as
with the lip 82 or with adhesive, to the upper base, or the cover
may be removably attached such as by being formed of elastic
material, for example.
The flexible rack 20, FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7, 8 and 9, sometimes called a
ripcord or pull cord, includes a ring-shaped handle 110 and an
integral, elongated flexible bar 112. The extended or distal end
portion 114 of the bar may include a connector prong. The handle
includes an opening 116 so as to form a clasp when the prong is
received by the opening. In this manner the rack may loop around
and form a bracelet or a necklace, such as the bracelet shown in
FIG. 9. The rack 20 may also include an indentation or depression
122, FIGS. 6A and 7, in the handle 110 for receiving and supporting
the doll covered housing for storage and/or display as illustrated
in FIG. 6B. A different clasp mechanism may be used in the
alternative, and also in the alternative, a stand for the toy
apparatus may be provided separate from or instead of the rack
indentation to store and/or display the toy apparatus. The use of
the flexible rack as make believe "jewelry" defines a third mode of
play.
The bar has a rectangular cross section with two sets of opposing
surfaces. The first set of opposing surfaces 130, 132 are smooth
and uninterrupted. The second set of opposing surfaces 134, 136
each includes a series of evenly spaced recessed gear teeth for
receiving the teeth of the drive gear 46. The surface 134, for
example, includes recessed teeth 140, 142, 144 while the opposite
surface 136, for example, includes recessed teeth 150, 152, 154.
Recessed teeth in opposite sides of the flexible bar allows the
rack to be used in either direction and upright or upside down to
energize the flywheel, and when used as a bracelet, the use of
recessed teeth prevents the wearer from being scratched and
clothing from being snagged.
In operation, the toy apparatus 10 may be handled and played in two
very different primary modes. In the first mode, the toy apparatus
is operated as a top by inserting the rack into the rack passageway
of the housing and quickly pulling the handle from the passageway.
This movement causes the flywheel to rotate rapidly allowing the
toy apparatus to spin and move on a flat surface or balance on a
wire in gyroscopic fashion. With the sound and light embodiment,
the rapid rotation also causes the second and third switches to
close to energize the sound generator and the light source. In the
second mode, an easy twisting motion separates the upper and lower
bases and the upper base with the doll cover may be hand held. With
the sound and light embodiment, depressing the first switch
energizes the sound generator and the light source. As mentioned,
the controller board may generate different sounds and light
displays when the first switch is actuated from those generated
when the second and third switches are actuated.
In the alternative, other modes of play may involve detaching the
covered upper shell from the lower shell and collecting multiple
upper shells with different covers. Or, upper shells with different
covers may be exchanged and screwed onto a lower shell.
The present invention also includes a method for manufacturing the
toy apparatus including the steps of forming the lower base
enclosing the rotatable flywheel, the rack passageway and having a
screw thread, forming the upper base enclosing the sound generator,
the battery chamber, the three switches, the controller board and
having the mating screw thread for engaging the screw thread of the
lower base, and forming the doll cover to be placed over the upper
base and connecting the doll to the upper base wherein the toy
apparatus may be operated with the doll, the upper base and the
lower base connected, or with only the upper base and the doll
connected as described above in detail. The upper base may be
formed with the appendage covered light source. The manufacturing
process may also include forming the flexible rack with the handle
and the flexible elongated bar, where the bar includes oppositely
disposed surfaces with recessed gear teeth for operating the
flywheel, and a clasp for retaining the bar in a closed loop. For
the no sound, no light embodiment, manufacturing is simplified
because the upper shell is essentially empty.
The toy apparatus disclosed in detail above has great play value,
is fun to use and easy to operate because it is easily hand held
and only requires the insertion and a quick pull of the flexible
rack to cause rotation of the flywheel. Separation of the upper and
lower bases for non-rotational play requires a simply twist motion
similar to removing a lid from ajar.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided
features for an improved toy apparatus and a disclosure of the
method of the toy's manufacture. While particular embodiments of
the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it
will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications may be made without departing from the invention in
its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim is to cover all such
changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope
of the invention. The matters set forth in the foregoing
description and accompanying drawings are offered by way of
illustrations only and not as limitations. The actual scope of the
invention is to be defined by the subsequent claims when viewed in
their proper perspective based on the prior art.
* * * * *